diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 36cee9e..3d28ef2 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 					{ name: "Name" },
 					{ name: "Position" },
 					{ name: "Office" },
-					{ name: "Extn." },
+					{ name: "Extn.", sortOrder: "desc" },
 					{ name: "Start Date" },
 					{ name: "Salary" }
 				];
diff --git a/src/columnmanager.js b/src/columnmanager.js
index 7113ae9..4b2f749 100644
--- a/src/columnmanager.js
+++ b/src/columnmanager.js
@@ -273,6 +273,16 @@ export default class ColumnManager {
         $.on(this.header, 'keydown', '.dt-filter', debounce(handler, 300));
     }
 
+    applyDefaultSortOrder() {
+        // sort rows if any 1 column has a default sortOrder set
+        const columnsToSort = this.getColumns().filter(col => col.sortOrder !== 'none');
+
+        if (columnsToSort.length === 1) {
+            const column = columnsToSort[0];
+            this.sortColumn(column.colIndex, column.sortOrder);
+        }
+    }
+
     sortRows(colIndex, sortOrder) {
         return this.datamanager.sortRows(colIndex, sortOrder);
     }
diff --git a/src/datamanager.js b/src/datamanager.js
index f5dd8f9..6d38fee 100644
--- a/src/datamanager.js
+++ b/src/datamanager.js
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ export default class DataManager {
         this.prepareRows();
         this.prepareTreeRows();
         this.prepareRowView();
-
         this.prepareNumericColumns();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/datatable.js b/src/datatable.js
index a7f70a6..8761c8a 100644
--- a/src/datatable.js
+++ b/src/datatable.js
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class DataTable {
 
         if (this.options.data) {
             this.refresh();
+            this.columnmanager.applyDefaultSortOrder();
         }
     }